A LAST-DITCH attempt to avert a nationwide fire strike broke down last night and firefighters in Merseyside and Cheshire immediately launched industrial action.

Only emergency calls were answered and staff refused to do any other work.

The decision was taken by union members immediately after talks broke down with fire officials. The action lasted until midnight.

Now it seems likely the situation can only deteriorate, with a ballot for strike action expected to be launched within two weeks.

A national fire strike would be the first such action since 1977.

The Fire Brigades Union is demanding a 39pc pay increase, taking a standard salary to #30,000 a year.

The union will recall its national conference on September 12 to discuss a recommendation to move to a strike ballot.

It followed a 90-minute meeting between-unions and employers yesterday which made no progress.

More than 450 firefighters from Merseyside and Cheshire travelled to London to protest about the current pay situation at the National Joint Council talks.

Last night, Merseyside FBU branch secretary Les Skarratts said: "As of now up until midnight, we will only be answering emergency calls.

"All other work will be stopped. This is indicative of our frustration and the depth of our determination that our pay claim should be taken seriously.

"The community will have full protection from the threat of fire at all times.

"We are only discontinuing our action at midnight because Merseyside Fire Authority is backing the FBU's pay claim and has written to formally back us.

"Five hundred firefighters from Merseyside and Cheshire went to London to demonstrate at the NJC but it did not make a bit of difference."

Union officials claimed firefighters from up to 30 brigades were only answering 999 calls in protest at the breakdown of the pay talks.

Cleaning in stations, administration and the free fitting of fire alarms were among the tasks stopped during the action.

It had spread to areas including the South West, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Northants, Norfolk, Suffolk and Bedfordshire, according to FBU sources.

Merseyside Fire Authority chairman, Coun Peter Corcoran, said: "It is certainly disappointing that they have taken this action. They are still answering emergency calls, which just means that no station work will be done."

Chief fire officer Tony McGuirk said: "I think that it is regrettable we have this immediate reaction to a situation on a national level."

The Government is under growing pressure to intervene in the firefighters' pay dispute after the breakdown of the talks. Around 900 Army Green Goddess fire engines are on standby and will be used if a strike goes ahead.

Several thousand firefighters from across the UK staged a noisy but peaceful demonstration at the talks in London, sounding horns and blowing whistles.

Merseyside firefighters stopped work for eight days last summer over the issue of non-uniformed staff being promoted to senior posts.